The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-01-22

pie from their sins when sin shall be
finished, transgression ended, and ever
lasting righteousness be brought in,
the consequences of sin are still to con-
tinue to flow on forever l do not be-
lieve that reason, or the nature of
things testify to any such thing. There
is no ''sophistication" in the above
language of Jesus or the Apostles. 1t
is not contrary to our general observa-
ton, or experience.
You much more than hint, that in
this | am teaching an irrational ortho-
dox doctrine, which has to be deemed
vicious and demoralizing; doctrine
so gross withal as to repel many of the
finest religious spirits and not to win
to us 1.-THE sympathy and approval of al
the advancing hosts" This, it seems
is your thought but l didn't know
why l was not doing nicely. l even
boosted myself, that such views as 1
had presented gave strength to law and
motive, and restraint to virtue and
character and that we must move
along up to this point, or presently the
orthodoxy would be fully abreast of us
etc., etc.
We, as denomination, feel that the
whole human family will be saved
some time or other in the eternal future,
we do not know when. And the ortho.
dox are getting so that they think it quite
problematical. They hope the whole
world may be saved, and are not entire.
ly certain but they may. tits "eternal
hope" with them, and they are going to
keep hoping. 1t looks as though we
might get together we either win them,
or they US, for many of US have it now
that Christ went to hades (hell) when
his body lay entombed in Joseph's sep.
ulchre, and preached to the worst of
sinners, such as were sometime DISC
bedient in the days of Noah; and that
he must have gone there with view
to their being reformed. I have tried
to imagine in what way he preached
how the prison looked, or how those
poor creatures felt about the matter
No doubt Christ went somewhere, tina
is, his spirit left the body. But mus
we conclude that it was at any grea
distance away? l think it needs to b.
proven just where he was. If, however
there are any such rebellious spirits il
the eternal world, is it not quite likel,
from the analogical standpoint, tina
they may continue so forever +? II
we are to allow that the sin anC
evil of this world is to follow us int,
the next, greatly fear that the ortho
dox will beat us in the argument TO
its everlasting continuance. They ever
discuss now whether the evil of thi
world is not warrant for their belle
of endless punishment, so far as it
initiating against the goodness of God
Grant them the greater evil, of 300,
years of punishment, which, so far a
the creatures happiness is concerned
might about as well be to all eternity
and grant them free will besides, as w
husband we may be content to la,
down our weapons, and give them tn
field. We shall find them holding tn
fort for the next 100 years in spite o
us, and if the next 100, why not tn,
next ,0002 They must be made to un
derstand, that as in the Adamic nature
we are mortal, and die, so in bein,
made ''alive in Christ" we are immor
tai, and like Christ in character, ant
"the spirits of the just made perfect.
This informs us what, and when tn,
change is to be. And farther along il
the same chapter, the same apostle tell
US that when this corruptible shall
have put on interruption, and this
mortal, Immortality ; then shall b.
brought to pass the saying that il
written, Death is swallowed up il
victory" And he gives thanks to Goo
that he has thus given us the victory
over sin, and its sting of death, and re
morse, and anguish. This swallowing
up death in victory, is the language Of
the prophet Isaiah, and he accompan.
les it with the "wiping tears from of
all faces" In the resurrection they are
equal to the angels, and the children
of God," like Him. Not that death
does anything for US, save to 'delivel
us from this body of DEATH" and place
us on vantage ground by the larger
ability it confers for the exercise OF
every faculty God has bestowed. OF
course the ability to repent will be ours,
for if person has not the ability to re-
pent, he will have no responsibility in
not repenting, for what he cannot dc
he is under no obligation to do.
We are cautioned, that this may be a
dangerous doctrine to teach. milk
for Babes" it is often said, but this
same apostle says, "Strong meat be-
longeth to them that are of full age,
even those who by reason of use have
their senses exercised to discern both
good and evil, that they may grow
thereby" 1 am reminded in this of the
reply of one of our editors, who was
taken to task for being too severe, and
given to understand that vinegar didn't